Trouble and Turmoil At Every Corner

This week has especially been one that was filled with trouble and turmoil. To the North in Kabul, on yesterday, two suicide bombers killed many legislators and civilians at the opening of a new facility. To the East of us, Pakistan, they are in a state of emergency, with so many of its people unsure about the future, as President Musharif continues his single rule over the country. To the South of us, Iran continues to defy NATO with its desire to become a nuclear state. To the West of us, the Taliban continues its offensive. It really makes me wonder what God is saying to us!!! No matter what we may want, or what we do, God continues to let us know that He is the One that is in control. As for the ARSIC, we memorialized two of our great soldiers, SGT Philpot and SSG Bullard. No matter what we may think of the war, it is having a tremendous impact on our soldiers and families. That is no more evident than the below picture, this is a picture taken after the Memorial Service we had for Bullard and Philpot last week. SSG James David Bullard was 28, and left behind a wife and new born child, as well as a Mother and Father.

The very next day following this ceremony, we were informed that we had another casualty. SFC Johnny C. Walls, 41 of Bremerton, Washington died Nov. 2, 2007 in Uruzgan, Afghanistan of wounds suffered during insurgent attack in the conduct of combat operations. SFC Walls was assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st ID, at Fort Riley, KS. Please keep SFC Walls and his family in your prayers. We are definitely in a new phase of combat operations, our PMT mission is only six months old and the Taliban has adapted their tactics. This is a growing insurgency, we are killing many of them, but there are quite a few of them out there.... and they are recruiting faster than we can gain forces. What is wrong with the picture below.

During a recent trip to the JDCC, the Afghan Police Headquarters, I captured this picture of a local Afghan Policeman on his cell... Is this suspicious? do you think he was letting the Taliban know that we were there? This is why we have to keep our head on the 360..... It would not surprise me if he was not calling Taliban. These are the same forces that our PMTs have to trust on missions. What do you think? Our teams not only have to worry about the Taliban, but would you not worry about the people traveling with you. It is well-known that many of the ANP have ties to the Taliban. It is very difficult to ask our troops to TRUST these forces.... what we find, is that our trust lies with our other team members.

We are operating in a Coalition environment with a mixed staff. We have a Canadian Chief of Staff, Canadian J-5, a British S-3 an US Commander and other staff. Above is a picture of the COS, Cdr Mike Burke conducting one of our staff meetings, with Canadian Cdr Keith Moody and MAJ Shy Warner our J-1. This theatre is not US run, it is a Coalition operation, we are just a part of that operation. I wish that I could tell you that I feel good about where we are in this mission, but I can't, the enemy has some say so in it too.... As soon as we make significant end-roads, the situation changes... I am saying all of this to say, that it is my belief that it is quite difficult to put a mark on the wall and say this is done, our mission is over, bring the troops home. We try to pin Generals down on this, but this is a fluid environment, that constantly changes. It is going to take a lot for this mission to reap the rewards that the American society will feel good about, honestly in my opinion we are years away... Not to mention Ol' Ben is still out there and he is definitely doing his best to regain control.

I have two other family members here in Afghanistan, SFC Chris Coleman pictured above and Sam Bowser working with Dynacorp as a contractor for Police Mentoring. I have been here for six months and this past week was my first time running into Chris.... Either way, I was glad to see him doing well.

The children are wonderful, I don't blame them for what others do. It is crazy for us to believe that we can change a culture overnight... They are many years behind, most are illiterate, poor, and simply surviving the best way they know how.... I understand why corruption is so prevalent, that is their survivable mechanism.... God Bless These People..... especially our soldiers and families that have paid so dearly.....